Chapter 274: Surface Work Must Be Done Well

Su Tianyu certainly wasn't really trying to teach Zhao Weihu how to handle things - he just wanted to probe his attitude, because he always felt that if Jing Yan hadn't been flayed alive or privately promised something to Zhao Weihu, the latter absolutely wouldn't have let him go.

From past interactions, Zhao Weihu was someone who kept his word, and given the situation then, Jing Yan was completely like meat on a chopping board with no ability to resist, so it would definitely have been a very easy thing for the former to kill him. Since he didn't do this, it could only mean Jing Yan and Tiger Brother had reached some under-the-table agreement.

Dog Six guessed this, but since Zhao Weihu wouldn't say, he couldn't well keep asking.

After the two sat talking in the room for about ten minutes, they basically settled the hostage exchange matter. Later when the doctor came to give Zhao Weihu an injection, Su Tianyu took the opportunity to take his leave.

......

In the evening, under Zhu Bajie's lead, Su Tianyu went to the warehouse holding hostages. Entering the room, he immediately smelled the stinking urine and gasoline odors. Dragon City garrison soldiers squatted along the walls, chained in locks, with blank stares and injuries all over their bodies.

At the second rescue scene outside the district then, the Chi Army side had nearly 300 soldiers participating in the Supervision Assembly hostage-taking, plus over 200 receiving force troops they transferred from the Kasalo region - total numbers exceeded 500.

Dragon City's side also deployed over 1,000 armed personnel and over ten helicopters to intercept the Chi Army's escape, with who knows how many reinforcement encirclement troops rushing to the rescue scene on the perimeter.

With this scale of conflict, anyone claiming they could avoid being captured alone would be pure nonsense. Because this wasn't a Zone war, and neither side's participating personnel had any absolute ideological beliefs.

Su Tianyu stood inside covering his nose, saying softly to the guard battalion commander: "Brother Mang, we're about to exchange hostages - can we make their conditions a bit better?"

Zhu Bajie's real name was Liu Mang - he had followed Zhao Weihu very early on, counting as a Chi Army iron core veteran. Recently he had frequent contact with Dog Six, so both sides were quite familiar.

Hearing this, Liu Mang replied pursing his lips: "Fuck, they killed many of our people - how can I treat them like comrades?! Being able to release them alive is enough."

Su Tianyu lowered his voice, pulling Liu Mang saying: "They're actually like us - all small figures following orders. Those above give one word, those below in uniforms have to risk their lives. Making them so miserable really isn't necessary."

"You're quite sympathetic to them? Hehe." Liu Mang asked smiling.

"All poor bottom-level soldiers - they have it hard too," Su Tianyu said looking down. "And to be honest with you, brother, it's not easy for me coming to work on negotiations. Think about it - if I just take these people back like this, the mayor sees... they've all been abused beyond human appearance, gets angry and scolds me - then I did this work for nothing, right?"

"You think so much...!"

"No choice - I don't have a commander for a father, so have to rely on myself for everything," Su Tianyu replied grinning. "If you're lenient with them, I'll also call Dragon City's side to have them be polite to our people. Anyway the hostages will be exchanged - everyone should be dignified, what do you think?"

"Sigh." Liu Mang looked at Su Tianyu sighing: "If I had your mouth, I'd be at least among Chi Army's top five chairs by now."

"Hehe, Brother Liu you'll be Chi Army's boss sooner or later, that's beyond doubt."

"Stop the nonsense - the Commander's still alive, how can you talk carelessly like this?!" Liu Mang cursed helplessly, then waved to the guards at the door: "Let them stay in two rooms, have the mess squad serve regular meals, allow one group toilet break and three urination breaks daily, special situation special treatment, watch them strictly."

"Understood."

"Oh, also, give them those old uniforms and bedding we changed out last time," Liu Mang added again.

"Yes!"

After Liu Mang's instructions, Su Tianyu immediately walked before the captured Dragon City soldiers and special police members, waving to them saying: "Brothers, everyone hold on a few more days - we're already negotiating with the Chi Army commanders. During this time, hope everyone can stay calm and cooperate with the Chi Army soldiers' work. I've also fought for relatively convenient living conditions for everyone - clothes and food will be arranged properly later."

Hearing this, everyone in the room looked gratefully at Su Tianyu, because they really weren't living like humans now - the Chi Army not only didn't feed them but came to beat them every few days...

"I'm Su Tianyu, the person in charge of this matter. Don't worry - if anything happens, you can have the Chi Army soldiers find me - we can communicate face to face..." Su Tianyu spoke on and on to everyone with kind eyes like an angel.

Why talk so much? Things done - don't you need to sell goodwill!

Liu Mang looked at Su Tianyu, cursing helplessly: "Fuck, he's playing the good guy role..."

......

That night.

Su Tianyu had hotpot with Liu Mang and other Chi Army core officers, building relationships. He also discovered that though these Chi Army people were full of jianghu spirit and untameable character, they were actually quite easy to interact with. At least they didn't have so many schemes in their bellies - completely different from those goods in Dragon City's political circles, also different from Dragon City's troops. They didn't understand politics, didn't care what changes happened outside - only knew that carrying guns themselves and listening to Commander Zhao Weihu's words meant they could live good lives and have hot meals.

Since Su Tianyu still had external wounds and burns, he didn't drink alcohol, only chatted with everyone for half the night before returning to his barracks to rest.

Su Tianyu was a clean freak - after returning to the barracks, he used plastic sheets and military medical waterproof tape to wrap his wounds again before taking a shower.

Everything settled, Su Tianyu felt extremely tired and fell into deep sleep as soon as his head hit the bed.

......

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

After four or five coordinations by Su Tianyu, both sides exchanged hostages on the Xinaluo coast.

On the day of the hostage exchange, both sides changed the captured personnel into relatively clean clothes, even letting them shower beforehand - this situation was also mediated by Su Tianyu. In short, the exchange scene was very harmonious - just short of everyone wearing little red flowers and shaking hands in greeting.

In the evening, after the hostages were released, Li Mingsheng received a call. After hearing about the scene, he said laughing: "Hahaha, even changed clothes? I said this kid is fucking best at putting on shows, and good at working right under people's eyes!"

......

Late at night, as Jing Yan sat in his office looking at internal Dock Workers Association documents, several deathly pale faces suddenly appeared outside the window behind him...